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State of Texas: House blocks plan to allow public money for private schools

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas House of Representatives on Thursday voted to prohibit state money from funding private school vouchers or education savings accounts.The move is a setback to one of Gov. Greg Abbott's top priorities to provide "school choice" with state-funded private school tuition subsidies.The House approved State Rep. Abel Herrero's amendment to the state budget on a bipartisan 86-52 vote. The amendment prohibits the budget from funding "a school voucher, including an education savings account, tax credit scholarship program, or a grant or other similar program through which a child may use state money for non-public primary or secondary education.""These are public funds for public schools as is outlined and stated specifically in the Texas Constitution," Herrero said. "And for that, members, please stick with our public school teachers, our neighborhood schools, and our public charter schools and vote for this amendment."Cheers erupted in the Texas House as the am...

Gus Nyquist makes highly anticipated Wild debut after lengthy layoff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

Gus Nyquist hasn’t played in an NHL game since suffering a shoulder injury in a Jan. 25 game against the Edmonton Oilers. At the time, he was playing for the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets, who were busy trying to set themselves up with the best odds to draft the generational Connor Bedard.In other words, the fact that Nyquist is now with the Wild and in position to chase a Stanley Cup is something for which he’s very grateful.After being acquired by the Wild at the trade deadline, Nyquist has spent the past month working his way back into playing shape. His highly anticipated Wild debut came on Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center.“We just came to the decision that it’s good enough to go,” Nyquist said before the Wild hosted the St. Louis Blues. “I’m really excited to get in there.”Asked if he’s 100 percent, Nyquist noted how he wouldn’t be playing if he wasn’t at full strength.“We’re at a point where I am a...

Children gather for Francis Park's Easter egg hunt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Sunny skies Saturday for families to enjoy Easter-themed celebrations ahead of the big holiday Sunday. One of the larger Easter egg hunts in the St. Louis area was held Saturday morning at Francis Park in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood. Trending: A Missouri barbecue spot shows up in ‘Ted Lasso’ episodes: This is why Young children, those 9 years old and younger, were able to find eggs filled with candy and prizes. Older children sought gold eggs with $25 gift prizes in them.Of course, the Easter bunny was there for photos with the kids. Many also got to enjoy a petting zoo.

Police search for missing teen who disappeared in Castaic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

Police are searching for an at-risk teen who disappeared in Castaic on April 3.The teenager was identified as Milton Eduardo Kingsli Nunez Jr., 18, by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.He was last spotted on the 9600 block of Hunstock Street around noontime, deputies said.Nunez is described as a Hispanic male standing 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds, with curly brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. He has freckles on his cheeks and scars on his hands.He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, jeans, and black shoes.Loved ones said Nunez has made suicidal statements and they are concerned for his well-being.Milton Eduardo Kingsli Nunez Jr., 18, in a 2023 photo from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Police search for missing teen who disappeared in Orange County Anyone with information on the teen’s whereabouts is asked to call LASD’s Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500.Anonymous tips can be submitted to "Crime Stoppers" at 800-222-8477 or online ...

McDavid 6th player to top 150 points, Oilers beat Sharks 6-1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Connor McDavid became the first player in 27 years to reach 150 points in a season when he had two goals and an assist in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.McDavid now has 151 points with two games remaining in the regular season. He became just the sixth player ever to record 150 points in a season, joining Wayne Gretzky (nine times), Lemieux (four times), Phil Esposito, Steve Yzerman and Bernie Nichols.Zach Hyman, Derek Ryan and Philip Broberg also scored to help the Oilers win their seventh straight game. Edmonton, which began the day three points ahead of third-place Los Angeles in the Pacific Division, closed in on clinching home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Stuart Skinner made 22 saves.Tomas Hertl scored for the Sharks, who are assured of finishing in the bottom four of the league. James Reimer had 30 saves.PENGUINS 5, RED WINGS 1DETROIT (AP) — Sidney Crosby become the 15th player in NHL history t...

Pérez, Royals score 5 unanswered runs to stun Giants 6-5

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Salvador Pérez hit a tying, three-run homer in the eighth inning and Nate Eaton scored on a wild pitch in the ninth as the Kansas City Royals rallied past the San Francisco Giants 6-5 on Saturday.Eaton pinch-ran for Vinnie Pasquantino, who led off the ninth with a double off Giants closer Camilo Doval. Eaton advanced to third on a ground out by Hunter Dozier and sprinted to the plate on a wild pitch by Doval (0-1), barely beating the tag by catcher Blake Sabol with a head-first slide.“I honestly didn’t even see him dive for me,” Eaton said. “I was just eyes on home plate and doing whatever I could to get there as quick as possible, and trying not to get tagged, I guess.”With Kansas City trailing 5-1 in the seventh, Franmil Reyes homered off Ross Stripling to cut the lead to 3. Pérez tied the game with a three-run blast off Stripling in the eighth.“I got it a little bit off the end (of the bat),” Pérez said through a translator. “I had to watch it leave and I was...

Rays season-opening winning streak at 8, beat A’s 11-0

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays extended Major League Baseball’s best start in 20 years behind Jeffrey Springs’ seven innings of three-hit ball and Randy Arozarena’s four RBIs, routing the Oakland Athletics 11-0 Saturday for an 8-0 record.Tampa Bay is the first big league team to open 8-0 since the 2003 Kansas City Royals won their first nine games. The Rays have outscored opponents 64-18 and are the first team to win its first eight games by four or more runs since the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association did it in their first 13.“When you’re winning games like this, a lot of things got to be going well,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “So, I think we’re all pretty impressed with every facet out there.”No team had won eight straight games by that margin at any point in a season since the 1939 Yankees did it 10 times in a row.Isaac Paredes and Brandon Lowe had three RBIs each for the Rays.Springs (2-0), coming off six, no-hit innings i...

NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Race 2 Results

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

SaturdayAt Bristol Motor Speedway DirtBristol, Tenn.Lap length: 0.53 miles(Start position in parentheses)1. (1) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 15 laps, 0 points.2. (2) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 15, 0.3. (5) William Byron, Chevrolet, 15, 0.4. (4) Harrison Burton, Ford, 15, 0.5. (6) Aric Almirola, Ford, 15, 0.6. (9) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 15, 0.7. (3) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 15, 0.8. (8) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 15, 0.9. (7) Noah Gragson, Chevrolet, 15, 0.___Race Statistics were not immediately available.___NASCAR Driver Rating FormulaA maximum of 150 points can be attained in a race.The formula combines the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish.Source

Jabeur advances to second-straight Charleston Open final

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Second-seeded Ons Jabeur advanced to the Charleston Open final for the second straight year, beating No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina 7-5, 7-5 in a rain-delayed match Saturday. Jabeur, who lost this championship a year ago to Belinda Bencic, will either play No. 1 seed Jessica Pegula or the fourth-seeded Bencic for the title. Jabeur fought off Kasatkina to win her 10th semifinal in her 12 visits to the final four. Jabeur of Tunisia also won her fifth straight over her Russian opponent and first since the two played in the Rome semifinals a season ago. Jabeur had quipped Friday she’d try and get her supporters in Tunisia to send sunshine to the Credit One Tennis Center. Instead, it was an overcast, chilly with rain delays that had the match ending more than 5 1-2 hours after it began. Jabeur trailed 5-3 in the opening set when the rain delayed the match. She returned after the delay of more than three hours to win the next four games to take the set. Jabeur tu...

Edwards scores 33, Timberwolves beat Spurs 151-131

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:15 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 33 points in 25 minutes and the Minnesota Timberwolves routed San Antonio 151-131, the most points allowed in regulation under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, on Saturday at the Moody Center.Minnesota shot 56% on 3-pointers while making a season-high 24 3s.“From the beginning of the game I feel like everybody was hitting and it just carried over,” Edwards said.Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points, Mike Conley had 20 points and Rudy Gobert had 10 points and 13 rebounds for Minnesota.The Timberwolves won for the sixth time in nine games. Minnesota will finish no lower than ninth in the Western Conference but still have a chance of finishing eighth ahead of New Orleans, who they host Sunday.Julian Champagnie had 24 points to lead San Antonio, which will finish with one of the league’s three worst records. Keita Bates-Diop added 22 points and Tre Jones had 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.The Spurs’ final home game of the season was played in Aust...